Ten Indians killed in fire in Saudi Arabia

10 Indian nationals and a Bangladeshi died on Wednesday in Saudi Arabia’s Najran when a fire ripped through the windowless house they shared. Six other people were injured in the blaze.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted about the incident, confirming the deaths of 10 Indian nationals and saying that

Mohammed Noor Rahman Sheikh, the Indian Consul General in Saudia Arabia, is in touch with the governor of Najran, Prince Jluwi bin Abdelaziz bin Musaed.

Ms Swaraj was responding to a tweet by a woman named Vidya S, who said her domestic help’s husband died in the fire. “We are not able to get the help to bring back his remains,” Ms Vidya had tweeted to Ms Swaraj.

The workers, who belonged to a construction company, were living near a gold market area in Faisaliah district. Among the six injured workers, four were from India, Saudi Gazette reported.

Najran Governor Prince Jluwi bin Abdelaziz ordered the formation of a committee to investigate the fire incident. His office will be supervising the committee, which will include representatives from the Civil Defence, Municipality and the Ministry of Labour and Social Development, the report said.

Prince Jluwi also expressed concern at the absence of control over foreign workers’ residences and the role of field teams of the Civil Defence and the Municipality, reported the state-run Saudi Press Agency.